The best Christmas gift

Well, taking time spent with family and good friends out of the equation, this is the best.  Better than new sheets, new slippers, and gift cards (and certainly better than this book, which my brother bought for me as a joke).

Pre-holiday hodgepodge

For some reason, the hectic pace of the holiday season seems to stunt my ability to fully formulate eloquent thoughts.  So, in an effort to not completely neglect my blog this December, outlined below are a few things that have been on my mind.  I may expand on some of them, either in the lull between Christmas and New Year’s Eve or later down the road, or I may not.

The historic repeal, this past weekend, of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell ban on gays serving openly in the military pleases me - both because the policy was discriminatory and detrimental and because it will quiet some of the annoying squawking coming from the left.  Though I don’t inherently care as much about this aspect of gay rights as, say, marriage equality, it is, nevertheless, a momentous step in the right direction for our country.

On the topic of Congressional action, I’ve also been very happy with the pace and bipartisan nature of the “lame duck” session.  Since returning to Washington after the elections, Congress has gotten quite a bit done: a tax deal and economic stimulus that angered the more ideological wings of both parties (which, to me, makes it all the more appealing), progress toward a vote on the crucial New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia, and, of course, the aforementioned DADT repeal.  The failure of the Dream Act is truly disheartening and New START is not yet ratified, but, for once, pragmatism has seemed to characterize the overall course of events in Washington more than frustrating partisan gridlock (with some notable exceptions).

In a break with the child-like excitement of years past, I reacted to this season’s first snow – a small one, at that – with a sense of barely contained distaste.  Perhaps a remnant of last winter’s blizzard fatigue, perhaps simply an indication that I have become a 25 year old curmudgeon.

I have not yet read this book, recommended by Andrew Sullivan, but, as an imaginative exercise in philosophies and interpretations of the afterlife, it sounds fascinating.  Thought-provoking excerpts here.

Egged on by a candy-filled advent calendar and the abundance of sweets that show up on the office’s kitchen table during the holidays, I find myself recently unable to resist the following things: Reesee’s Peanut Butter Cups, chocolate chip cookies, ginger cookies, and cupcakes.

It alarms me, in a somewhat glum, existential way, that 2011 is just two weeks away.

Recently, I received the first hard copy in my subscription to The Atlantic.  Occasionally, I am struck with frivolous ideas when it comes to reading – that I should buy a non-fiction book based on the interesting-sounding description on the back cover, without first investigating reviews and verifying its readability, for example, or the perpetually incorrect assumption that I possess the patience and intellectual curiosity to fully digest an issue of The Economist.  I’m hoping The Atlantic does not fall victim to a similar fate - so far, I’m doing ok.

Michael Giacchino’s beautiful score from Lost continues to delight and haunt me, six months after the series finale.  Grooveshark allows me to listen whenever I am the mood for a transportively emotional experience.

Given the proper appetite and a particularly tasty batch, I could probably eat an entire carton of Clementines.

Over the past week, the way that Maryland has treated head coach Ralph Friedgen, an alum who led the program back to national relevancy a decade ago, is despicable.  He deserves better than to have unnamed sources from the university fuel rumors about his status, particularly after orchestrating a huge turnaround season and winning ACC coach of the year.  Most dishonorable, to me, is the conduct of our new A.D., Kevin Anderson, who earlier this season definitively confirmed Friedgen’s job security for next year and now, as of this afternoon, has officially reneged on his show of support.  This has been handled unreasonably poorly and, combined with the basketball team’s mounting losses and the heartbreak of the premature end to soccer season, has sapped most of my enthusiasm for Terps sports (for now, at least).

I’m disappointed that tonight’s lunar eclipse is going to happen while I’m asleep.

Life is far too fleeting to give up, even temporarily, the pursuit of happiness.

Fall in the Capital 2010

A few weeks ago, I wrote with wonder about the striking nature of autumn colors on a rainy afternoon.  But, truthfully, there are endless ways to appreciate my favorite season.  As we transition into the long, cold winter, this is my homage to fall.